Written by
Sunday, March 11th, 2007
COVENTRY CITY LADIES 1 v 1 ROTHERHAM UTD LADIES
The Millers traveled to second placed Coventry City Ladies last Sunday and came back with a well earned point in a bruising encounter.
On a pitch that was not conducive to playing football, Rotherham had to dig deeper than they had done all season to match a Coventry City side that set out to try and intimidate their visitors.
The match was littered with "finicky" fouls culminating in 5 bookings and one sending off, but with a referee that wasn't really understanding the importance of this game, he spoilt what was simmering up to be a real clash of football minds, ability, commitment and tactics.
Coventry settled down better in the early stages and pressed the visitors back for the first ten minutes, but gradually Rotherham fought their way back into the game culminating in a 15 minute penalty awarded after Lynskey had been fouled, in the box. Longstone struck a poor penalty kick to the keeper right, and to the delight of the home supporters, saved the spot kick quite easily.
This spurred the home team on and after good work from Coventry's centre forward, she calmly side footed home the opening score.
Coventry then put Rotherham under immense pressure and Durrands kicked off the line to keep the visitors in the game.
The Millers keeper Nash, made a excellent save just before half time, when she found herself with a "one on one" with the Coventry number 9.
Half time talk was so important to Rotherham as it was pointed out that being patient was a massive virtue in a game like this and one chance was all that was needed to get them back into this game.
Rotherham went out in the second half and started to believe in themselves and with Wood, Davies and Longstone beginning to be more effective offensively. But it was Lynskey who was starting to cause Coventry all the problems with her direct approach and running, very skillfully with the ball.
She was cynically brought down just outside the area and from the resultant shot, the home side keeper made a good save pushing the ball over the bar.
Rotherham fully deserved their equalizer when Davies turned her defender, just on the edge of the area and sweetly slotted home the goal that gave Rotherham a much valuable point.
The Rotherham defense was once again marshaled exceptionally well by Booth and they held out quite comfortably for the remainder of the game.
The match could have been won five minutes from the end as Lynskey ran 70 metres, beating 4 players before putting in a cross that Longstone could not quite manage to finish off in style.
Managers comments:
"I was very pleased with the point and I felt we had to look deep for another way to win this game. The girls like to play football all the time but sometimes you have to play "ugly" to get a result. This was new for most of our girls but they now know what is needed when they have to change.
Coventry did their homework on us and stopped us from playing from the midfield, but I don't think they believed we had the resilience to bounce back like we did.
The referee was not "up to speed" at all in this game as he didn't understand its' importance and maybe that, yes it is a passionate game, and the girls, on both side showed this.
The Coventry manager says on their web site:
"The final whistle resulted in celebration for Rotherham, who now believe they have clinched the only promotion spot. Coventry manager Stuart Wilson wasn't quite so pessimistic "It's not over. It's still 6 points. We could've done with beating them today, but there are still six games to play. As long as we keep winning, we can only look after ourselves".
Ladies, do you really believe I have accepted that we have won the title yet?
Do you really believe that I would let you think that?
The jubilant celebrations at the end of the game, was only delight in getting "a result" from the match that we started out to get.
You do not let your closest rivals take points out of you. In our two matches we have taken a win and a draw, and Coventry have taken a draw only. That's why we celebrated.
I think that people have misunderstood our "over exuberance"
Squad: Nash, B.Booth, Durrands, Pollock, Sloan, Wood, Lynskey, Baxby, Needham, Longstone, Davis
Subs Used: Thickitt (Needham 70mins)
League Cup Semi -Final 18TH March 2007
LONG EATON VILLA
v
ROTHERHAM UTD LADIES
